FIDM/The Fashion Institute Of Design & Merchandising FIDM steers high school students into tricky illegal contract. Don't trust FIDM!!!! Los Angeles And Irvine California
FIDM/The Fashion Institute of Design & Merchandising steered my daughter into a bad deceptive contract that was confusing and tricky. She signed a contract in November 05 for FIDM. They steered her into the 9 month contract.
She started in July of 06 and in went for 8 weeks. She decided FIDM was not for her and told the counselor she wanted to go to regular community college.
They kept talking her into staying one more week, and then one more week.
Finally I (her father) had to call then and tell them she wants to go to regular college. They then let her withdraw from the school. Then we got a bill for 7100.00 for the rest of the year. FIDM is trying to charge for almost the whole school year, even though she went only for 8 weeks.
Because of the tricky bad contract, they say she owes them 7100.00 even after they have taken almost 14000. already from her loans and grants.
They claim that since it was a 9 month contract, that she owes almost the whole amount. but the counselor steered her into the 9 month contract, even though she said she wanted the 12 month. and each week they could talk her into staying at the school, increased how much my daughter would owe, even if she dropped out.
so bottom line is: FIDM is using deceptive contracts to scam students into paying them far more than what is reasonable.
FIDM is deceitful.
Ripped off by FIDM
Irvine, California
U.S.A.
2 Updates & Rebuttals
Fidm
Los Angeles,California,
U.S.A.
Company's Response To Customer Request
#3UPDATE Employee
Wed, February 06, 2008
It was easy for us to figure out the identity of this student and we wanted to respond to clarify what occured from FIDM's perspective.
The student and her mother both signed all the contracts based on a 9 month contract length. It is clearly stated in the contract that contract length determines the number of weeks used in the refund calculation. Only students with prior completed college degrees can ever be considered for a 12 month contract.
This was never an option for this student. I believe her mother is confused between contract length versus the allowance of additional time to complete a contract. Students may extend their 9 months of study over 12 months and incur no tuition increase. Our contract states that "additional time in which to complete courses does not change the contract duration for refund purposes."
This additional time was discussed as an option for the student as she required some college prep coursework i.e. Writing Skills and Success Seminar. Many students are advised or elect to spread their 9 months of contracted studies over 12 months. There is no conflict of interest for a FIDM Advisor as they are all salaried professionals with no financial stake in any student's length of attendance.
We are sorry about her parents' perception and the communication breakdown. As a gesture of complete fairness and good will, we were willing to consider the father's September 11th phone call to her Advisor indicating the student was going to attend a JC to study business as her last date of attendance for refund purposes in spite of her actually completing the quarter and receiving grades. This reduced their debt to FIDM to $3,193.69. It would have erased the debt had FIDM not issued the student a check for $3,336.00 in living expenses.
We are sorry that this student was displeased but there are always 2 sides to every story and most of our current 6,500 full time students are satisfied.
Fidm
Los Angeles,California,
U.S.A.
Company's Response To Customer Request
#3UPDATE Employee
Wed, February 06, 2008
It was easy for us to figure out the identity of this student and we wanted to respond to clarify what occured from FIDM's perspective.
The student and her mother both signed all the contracts based on a 9 month contract length. It is clearly stated in the contract that contract length determines the number of weeks used in the refund calculation. Only students with prior completed college degrees can ever be considered for a 12 month contract.
This was never an option for this student. I believe her mother is confused between contract length versus the allowance of additional time to complete a contract. Students may extend their 9 months of study over 12 months and incur no tuition increase. Our contract states that "additional time in which to complete courses does not change the contract duration for refund purposes."
This additional time was discussed as an option for the student as she required some college prep coursework i.e. Writing Skills and Success Seminar. Many students are advised or elect to spread their 9 months of contracted studies over 12 months. There is no conflict of interest for a FIDM Advisor as they are all salaried professionals with no financial stake in any student's length of attendance.
We are sorry about her parents' perception and the communication breakdown. As a gesture of complete fairness and good will, we were willing to consider the father's September 11th phone call to her Advisor indicating the student was going to attend a JC to study business as her last date of attendance for refund purposes in spite of her actually completing the quarter and receiving grades. This reduced their debt to FIDM to $3,193.69. It would have erased the debt had FIDM not issued the student a check for $3,336.00 in living expenses.
We are sorry that this student was displeased but there are always 2 sides to every story and most of our current 6,500 full time students are satisfied.